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Review & Installation Video

Review & Install Video

I'm Ryan from extremeterrain.com, and this is my review and installation of the Rough Country Steering Stabilizer, fitting all 1987 to 2006 Wranglers. Today, we're gonna talk through the installation of this steering stabilizer, which is a very simple one out of three wrench installation. Now, the factory steering stabilizer is a taper-fit into your drag link, so it might take a little bit of effort to get it out of its location, especially if you have some rust on your TJ. But other than that, again, very simple one out of three wrench install that you can get done in about an hour. We'll talk a little bit more about the install in just a second. We're also gonna talk about the construction and a few of the features of this steering stabilizer.
When looking to purchase a new steering stabilizer, it's very important to understand what it does and what it doesn't do. Now, a steering stabilizer, or more accurately, a steering dampener, is really there to absorb the shock of hitting a bump on the highway that you would otherwise feel travel up your steering linkage and into the steering wheel. A steering stabilizer is not designed to get rid of any sort of wobble, certainly not death wobble, or any bump steer that you might have on your vehicle. If you have any of those steering geometry issues, you can certainly diagnose them and repair them, but putting on a new steering stabilizer is not going to fix them. It's only going to cover them up, and you're going to damage your new steering stabilizer very quickly, leaving you with the same problem. So again, if you have any of those issues, a wobble, a death wobble, or bump steer, diagnose them and repair them before installing a new steering stabilizer. This is not a cure for any of those issues.
Now, you should be looking to purchase a new steering stabilizer if your stabilizer is bent or leaking and you decide you wanna run one. When you have a properly set up suspension, a steering stabilizer is more of a luxury than necessity. You don't have to run one, but, again, if yours is leaking or broken and wanna replace it, this is going to be an inexpensive option that will absolutely get the job done. There are steering stabilizers that cost four times as much as this, and I would never recommend spending that much on a stabilizer. There's just no reason for it. This is going to be a 50/50 valve hydraulic shock that, as I said before, is absolutely going to get the job done, regardless of your lift size and your tire size, and it's going to save you a lot of money over those other stabilizers on the market.
As far as construction goes, as I said before, this is just a 50/50 valve shock. It has rubber bushings on both ends. It comes with all of the hardware necessary to get it mounted on your drag link and onto the axle, so it is going to work very much like that factory steering stabilizer, which is exactly what you're looking for. Again, even if you have 37s on your TJ and 6 inches of lift, you do not need to spend $200, $250 on a steering stabilizer. This is going to absolutely still do the job. You don't need to go overboard.
Now, what is the difference between this and the Rough Country Performance 2.2 Steering Stabilizer? Well, the 2.2 is going to be about $20 more, it has a slightly larger body, and it's going to be a monotube design. It's still going to be the same 50/50 valve hydraulic shock. This one's a little bit less expensive. It has a slightly smaller body to it. However, again, there really isn't a reason to go with that bigger, beefier steering stabilizer.
I know that the N2.0 Rough Country Shocks...not steering stabilizers, but shocks...are nitrogen-charged, but this, which is very similar to an N2.0 Shock, is not nitrogen-charged, which is a good thing. You would not want your steering stabilizer to have a nitrogen charge. That charge would constantly make the vehicle feel like it's pulling to one side, and it can cause a lot more wear and tear on your steering system. So you don't have to be concerned about that. If you are making the decision between the N2.0 and the Performance 2.2, again, the 2.2's going to be a little bit larger, a little bit more expensive. Either are going to be good, fairly inexpensive options that are still going to give you a 50/50 valve shock that's going to do the job of a steering stabilizer.
Getting these installed on your Jeep is going to be a very simple process, no drilling, no major modification necessary. As I said, the most difficult part of this install is going to get that taper-fit bolt out of your drag link, so that you can install the new one that comes with this setup. Now, a very simple one out of three wrench installation, it's going to start by removing your factory steering stabilizer, and you're going to unbolt it from the axle side and from the drag link. Once you have it unbolted, again, you can have a little bit of difficulty getting that taper-fit bolt out of the drag link.
Anytime you have a taper-fit, the best way to loosen that up is to strike perpendicular to the threads of that bolt. So you're actually going to hit the drag link on the side, and there's a little bit of a flat spot for you to do that. If you try hitting up on that bolt, of course, you could mushroom the end of the bolt, making it much more difficult to get it out of the drag link. Even if you leave a nut on there, there is a chance that you're gonna mushroom that and damage it. You can try using a Pitman Arm Puller or a ball joint puller of some type, but, again, really the best way to do that is to strike the drag link perpendicular to the taper-fit bolt. Also, a good penetrating oil is going to help. You may need to use a little bit of heat, but once you get that out, it's really a simple matter of installing your new steering stabilizer in the exact same location as your factory one using all of the new hardware that comes in this kit. A very simple one out of three wrench installation, under an hour, to get it installed. And you won't need any specialty tools, but having a large mallet or hammer handy to get that taper-fit bolt out of its seat will help.
As I mentioned before, this steering stabilizer comes in at right around $35, which is exactly where a steering stabilizer should be priced. You don't need to spend a ton more money to get a steering stabilizer that's going to do its job. In fact, some of those much more expensive stabilizers aren't going to do their job as well as this one because this is going to be just fine. You can step up to a slightly larger-bodied steering stabilizer that's going to have a little bit more fluid inside of it, which can stay cooler a little bit longer, if you do plan on working the suspension very, very hard. And again, it's only a $20 increase. If you have the Performance 2.2 Shocks and you want the matching steering stabilizer, that's certainly an option for you, or, of course, if you are just looking for that slightly larger body and you have the budget for it, the 2.2 is certainly an option.
So if you have a leaking or bent steering stabilizer on your YJ or your TJ and you're looking to replace it, I think that this is an excellent option. This is a very fairly-priced steering stabilizer that will install directly in the place of your factory one, and it's going to get the job done. So that's my review of the Rough Country Steering Stabilizer, fitting all 1987 to 2006 Wranglers, that you can find right here at extremeterrain.com.

Specs. The Rough Country steering stabilizer a great replacement for damaged or worn out steering stabilizers. This uses poly-urethane bushings for long life and is powder-coated on it's case and has a chromed piston to help prevent corrosion.

Construction. If your Wrangler has over-sized tires or a lift kit, it is recommended to double check the condition of your stabilizer for wear to help reduce bump steering and front end vibration. This steering stabilizer by Rough Country is designed to last and give improved control and handling.

Application. Works with 1987 - 2006 Wranglers.

Freight Notes. Freight items can only be shipped within the continental 48 states, no expedited methods.

There are a lot of options when it comes to steering stabilizers. I chose RC for the price. The tube is way bigger than the stock one so off the bat it feels like it will last longer than the OEM part. The fit was a direct fit with no fuss.

It really helped tightening up the steering. You could play the old shock like an accordion. The difference is like night and day. I strongly reccomend these shocks to anyone with a four wheel drive. I have them on both my jeeps and my pickup.

I bought the Rough Country Steering Stabilizer in conjunction with the Rough Country 3.25” Suspension Lift and couldn’t be happier. The stabilizer install was easy and straight forward once the original stabilizer was removed. Keep up the great customer service Extreme Terrain and I’ll keep buying from you!

Sturdy, well made steering stabilizer. Been on my '04 TJ for a week now with no issue. Added this at the same time as an RC 2.5" suspension lift kit, so hard to tell yet what improvement this stabilizer has over the old.

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Chris S, 1997 Jeep Wrangler TJPost Production ArtistNever owned a wrangler, was a big motorcycle and sports car fan. I wanted a simple vehicle that would go wherever I wanted and was easy enough to work on.

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